Method of producing motion pictures in colors



J. SHAW METHQD OF PRODUCING MOTION PICTURES IN COLORS Original FiledOct. 19, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN-VENTOR Jugg e/ S/MW.

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, was. i 1 562,066

U N i T E 111;: one i JOSEPH snam'or new roan, N. Y., assrelvon TQK'Inenon scorn 'soH 'YLnn NEILSON men .nxncn'roas orrna- WILL or ronesa. some), nncnasnn.

METHOD or rnolouome MOTION PICTURES IN ooLons.

Application filed October 19', 1920,'s'eria1 no 417,862. Renewed April16, 1925;

To 41% whom it may concern:

Be it known that LJosnrH Snawfa citiasmuch as the object necessarilymoves a zen ot the United States, andaresident'of certain distanceduring the, period of lax-i V the city ofiiew York, county of Bronx, andposu re, if the first portion of the exposure State of New York, haveinvented an Imand' the-last portion of the exposure are made principalcomplementary color filters;-

provementin Methods of Producing Motion through a different colorfilter, the edge por- W Pictures in Colors, of which the followingistions (and therefore parts of the fringe a specification. e v I 1producing areas) are given their character This invention relates tocolor photograby such filter. I prefer to select a color' 19 phy and hasfor an object to provide an imfilter which islet a characterintermediate proved method of-producing positives in that of thetwoprincipal complementary W colors adapted for motion picturereprodu'ccolor. filters employed and: to use that filter ti n tor-thefirst and last portions of all ex- The invention aims to obtain in thefinal poSuI'eS'. I projecting positive fine detailed images suffi- Thusit will be seen that the edge portion ciently brilliant in 'color toproduce suitable of one image ofonecolor-value of one phaseeolor'efi'ect upon. projection and at the same of action and the edgeportion of the next time to reduce the color fringe etl'ectgenersuccessive image of another color value of ally resulting in thetype of color motion 'the' next successive phase of action isbearpictures, in which-fast moving objects are inn;noncomplementarycolor values making .--photographed step by step by means of an. theseportions of both images more of a gen ordinary one-lens camera and usingsuitable eral character. v colorfilter means to cause successive imagesIn the process herein more particularly to be of different colorselected values. I described for the purposes of illustrating 25 Colorfringes are due to the displacement the invention, I have selected asprincipal ofthe phase of action of one image with refilterscomplementary red and Qreemand for spect to the next. The Width of acolor the auxiliary filter I have selected a yellow fringe obviouslydepends in part upon the filter, preferably a deep yellow filter of thespeed of the moving object with respect to Gr. A. or Gilli. type asdescribed by Dr. C. E. the speed of taking'of the picture. If com-.Kenneth Mecs, (see The Photography of plementary' red and green colorfilters are Colored Objects, second edition, published employedin,taking, the taking speed is limbyEastman Kodak Co, page 44 et seq.)ited by th'e'limitation of sensitiveness of the are}; manufactured by'Wratten &' Wainpanehromatic-- film,"and this limitation or right. The.images of the negative may be speed in takingfresults on projection ofthe classified for convenience as being divided .positive wide andbrilliantly colored into pairs, each pair comprising onesu'ccesfringes.I ess' dense non-complementary siv'e color selected image of one of thetwo color filters be; substituted forthe comple complementary colorvalues and the yellow mentary, the contrast ,of the color fringes'value,j and t e successive color selected .40 will be subdued, but thegeneral color 'efiect image ofthe other complementary color and of thepicturewill also bev materially re yellow value. Une image of each pairis- .dueed. printed upon one side of a double coated The presentinvention combines theuse in positive film andthe other image of thesame the taking camera'of substantially complex pair; is printed uponthe'other side of the 45 mentary color filters with the use ofnonpositive film opposite and in registry with complementary colorfiltersin a manner to such first image. 'After the images are 9 obtainsuficient exposure in taking and to printed and developed the positiveistreated retain the more brilliant color values for the by any suitablemethod, for instance, by major portion. of each image area whilebleaching and dyeing to produce the neces softening the intensity of thecolor of the sary colors. The side of the film on which edge portions ofthe area. This is. accomoccur the images of red color selected valuepiished by making the first and last portions is converted into a greenor blue-green dye of each exposurethrough an auxiliary color color andthe other side on which occur the filter of different character from thetwo, images of green color selected value iS 'GQMa verted into a red or.orange-red dye color. The positive is then ready for projection in anordinary projector.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a diagrammaticrepresentation showing in effect a combination shutter and filter.

Fig. 2 is a section of a negative which has been exposed through thefilter arrangement of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section of a double coated positive film printed from thenegative of Fig. 2 showing the images of different color se lected valuesuperimposed upon opposite sides of the film as the same appear beforethe dyeing of the positive. The object may, for example, be whiteshowing against a gray background.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of thefihn.

Figures 5, 6, and 7 are diagrammatic views showing three differentportions of a phase of action of a bird in flight. Figure 8 is a viewshowing the three phases combined in one image area. Figure 9 is a viewsimilar to Figure 8 but showing the companion image of a pair of imagestaken through different color screens. Figure 10 is a diagrammatic viewof a positive'as printed from the negative shown diagrammatically inFigures 8 an'd'S).

The combined shutter and filter 10 Fig. 1 comprises the opaque shutterareas 11 and 12, the red color filter area R and the green colorfilterarea .G, together with the auxil' I iary filter areas Y Y Y Y all ofdeep yellow quality,'as above explained.

In the illustrative process to be described a-negative exposedsubstantially as follows: The-shutter and filter me'chanismdiagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 is operated in synchronism withthe film moving means. The first image area is exposed through the threefilter areas Y R, Y The second image area is exposed through the threefilter areas Y G, Y and so on.

The major portions of the alternate images 14:, 14 of a moving objectthus produced will be of a predominating red color selected value,whereas the edge portions 15, 16 thereof will be of a yellow colorselected value. The other image areas 17 17 will be exposed through thefil ter areas Y G and Y In. the latter'images the green color selectedvalue will predominate except at the edges 18, 19, where 'yellow colorselected value will occur. In printing the positive. from the negativethus produced, the first twoimage areas 14, 17 will be superimposed,preferably one image area being printed upon one side'of the film andthe other image area being printed upon the other side of the film. Thetwo images of each pair will be, on the Whole, in registry ;with eachother, but the images of a movingobject in the scene will overlapslightly meaoee drawing by indicating the image of red color value 1% infull lines and the 'image 17 of green color value in dotted lines. Oneimage is shown as laterally displaced with respect to the next torepresent the images as they will appear 'upon the film. -Theoverlapping areaon each side will be the area whichordinarily-would tendto cause color fringe effect. In the process of the present invention,however, a portion of this area will in..each case be more of yellowcolor selected value because exposed through a yellow filter andtherefore will be of less intense redor green quality. The distinctnessof the color fringe upon projection will accordingly be reduced inproportion to the color relations of the filters and the relative widthsof the different filters when suitably arranged. The images takenthrough the different screens and therefore representing different colorvalues are differently cross hatched to represent different colorvalues, but obviously in the negative they will be represented in blackand white. 7 The object photographed may be considered as of anysuitable color in connection with the foregoing explanation. For convenience of description the obiect may be considered as of mixed red andgreen lines with or without other colors.

Another diagramn'iatical illustration of the effect of producing motionpictures in colors in accordance with the process herein described isillustrated conventionally in F igures 5 to 10 inclusive. For thepurposes of illustration, we assume a bird in flight moving its wingsvery rapidly. For convenience of discussion, that portion of themovement which appears upon one image area is treated as divided intothree phases of action. The first phase of action is exposed immediatelyupon the opening of the lens through the yellow section Y, of therevolving screen. The second phase of action is exposed through the redsection R- of the screen and the third phase is exposed through theyellow section Y. The three phases may be treated as reproduced onthenegative as indicated-in Figures 5, (5,. and 7 respectively. Now ,it'will be understood that all that is sh wn in these three figures isinjfact photographed'on one image area of the'negative in superposedrelation. The resultant combination is indicated in Figure 8' but insaid figure that portion of the combined image which is shown'inFigneeaoeo &

so far dominates the picture that the yellow green dyed side of thepositive will be of color selected value maybe treated as disapthe samecolor selected values. This pro pearing or merging into the red colorsevision whereby the portions which normally lected value. would producefringes are of thesame color The image-shown in Figure 8 is the firstselected valiie whether dyed red or green of two images for conveniencetreated as a has a marked tendency to reduce the inpair as heretoforediscussed, this belng the tensity ofany fringes which occur.

image of predominately red color selected The relative widths of theseveral filters" value. It will be understood that the sec and of theshutter and accordingly the relaond image of the same pair will be ofsimitive periods of exposure and of closure of 7 lar character, ofpredominately green color theshutter, and the relative lengths of timetion of the image may liming portionsrespectively of green andrespective 'tion .of yellow color selected selected value with similarmarginal porof exposure through each of the several trons. of yellowcolor selected value; Such filters can be; adptsted as the requirementsan nnage is shown in Figure 9 wherein theof use may require. In theexample 1lluscentral portion 26 is indicated as of green trated for thepurposes of this specification color selected value. As previously exthe8609'representingthe complete circle plamed these twov images of a pairare and corresponding to the period including printed in superposedrelation OHIOPPOSltG two complete exposures s divided into two sides of.the positive ,film just as the two areas of1 30", each representing aperiod of images lajand 17 shown in the negative of exposure and twoareas of 50, each repre- Figure 2 were des'cribed as printed insupersenting a, period of closure of the shutter. posedrelationon-opposite sides of the pro-. Each-of the exposure areas isagain divided jection Ypositive of the bird indicated in into areas of100 representing the period Figure 1 0, The side of "the .film'fo'nwhich of exposure through the corresponding prin occur thei'n'iagesoflpredominating red color cipal filter and 15 on eachside thereofrepselected value is converted into a green or resenting the periods ofexposure through blue green dyed color and the other side is theauxiliary tilters. The yellow filter secconverted into a red or orangered dyed tions may be of a width such that for abrief coloras previouslyexplained. interval during the exposure period the Ref .rring to Figure10,-the central porwhole image will he projected-through the 9 tionfofthcimage areaextending vertically yellow filter. This is indicatedconven from the linl'! 30 to line 3l comloines, in the tionally byshowing the yellow sections positive, portions of red and green colorS64 as, for example, slightly wider than-the dilccted valuescorrespondingly dyed as above. ameter of the lens as indicated at 20 inthe explained. The portion extending from the drawing. line 30 to theline 32 in said figure combines I claim as my invention: on one side ofthe positivca part of the porl. A method of producing motion picturetion 26 of Figure 9 of green color selected negatives which comprisesexposing succesvalue with, on the opposite side of the posi- \sive imageareas of a negative, through comtive, a portion of the image of Figure 8of plementary color filters, and exposing each yellow color selected'alueso that this porsuccessive image area for a brief interval beconsidered as combefore and after each exposure through thecomplementary color filters, Similarly the through a filter separatingcolor values sub-- yellow color selected values.

the, complementary portion of the image extending from the stantiallyintermediate line 31 to the line 33 combines portions of color filters.yellow and of. red color selected values. 2. The methodof producingmotion pic- The portion of the image area extending ture color-projecting"-positives which comfrom the line 32 to the line 34 combinesa prises exposing image areas inpairs to reportion of green colorselected value with 'a cord successive phases of action, one imageportion of the'background. and the portion area of each pair beingexposed through between the lines 34: and 36 combines a pordeep yellow,red and deep yellow filters in 'value with a succession and the otherimage area of each portionof.the-background. It will be unpair beingexposed through deep yellow, 5

derstood that when the image shown in Figgreen and de'epyellow filtersin succession, j

ure 10 produced as above explained when developing the image areas, andprinting projected will show the displacement of the and suitablycoloring. the images in pairs phase of action in less pronounced colorand upon opposite sides of a transparent Suptherefore will show lessintense color fringe upon the screen.- Y

It will be noted that all images are so 3. The method of producingmotion pictaken as to provide marginal portions show turercolcrprojection positives which coming displacement fringe forming portionsprises successive exposure of successive printed in superposed relation.

port, the two images of each pair being taken through the yellow filterthereimage areasto record successive phases of fore whether appearingupon the red or action in which eachalternate or even numthereby thatthe first and last portions of the exposure of each successive phase of'bered image area is exposed successively through yellow, red and yellowfilters in succession, and each odd.numbered image area is exposedthrough yellow, green and yellow filters in succession, developing thenegative so produced and printing there-- from a positive by printingthe successive images in pairson a double-coated light sensitivesupport, the two successiveimages of each pair being printed insuperposed relation, developing the positive and con-" verting the twosets of images of color se lected value into suitable dye colors.

4. The process as defined in'claim 8, in

which images of red color selected value are printed upon oneside of apositive and images of green color selected value are.

printed upon the opposite side of the posi- ".jjtive and the positiveisgiven a red dye ,0"

color'on one side an'd a green dyecolor on the-opposite sidesubstantially as set forth. 5. The method ofproducing motion picturedouble-coated positives, which coinprises imprinting paiiis'ofs'uccessivg images upon opposite sides of the film, each pair gonsistingof one imprinted image. .on one side and another upon the opposite sidebut in superposed relation thereto,characterized thereby that everypicture area throughout the length of the film on both sides-records adifferent phase of action, and each image has portions of a color valueseparated through a dark-yellow color filter.

6. The method which comprises record ing' on successive image areasnegative colorseparated records of successive phases of action,alternate images being of a greencolor selected value, the other imagesbeing of a red color selected value, and each image having a portionot acolor value separated through a dark-yellow color filter. 7. A methodwhich comprises recording fipon a negative color-separated images ofsuccessivephases of action characterized October, 1920,

action of each image is made through a dark yellow.

8. As an article of manufacture, a doublecoated projecting-positivecarrying on op- 'posite' sides pairs of images, the images of eachpairrepresenting. two successive phases of action, the two images of eachpair lying on opposite sides of the film and in registry with eachother, the color values of both images being substantially complementarythroughout the major, portions of the areas thereof but having edgeportions otoom mon color selected value in both pictureareas.

9.As'an article of manufacture, a double coated color proecting-positive, carrying in superposed relation on opposite sides,color sepai'atedvimages of two successive phases of -1l. As an articleof manufacture, a nega tive havin successive MINUTES of color se lectedvalue and in each negative the major.

tion being of one colorinterinediate the com- 'plementary colors.

ortions of alternate ima 'es are se ara-ted 2D in color valuescon'ipleinentary to each other, said images having also port-ions ofcolor selected valueof one andthe same color substantia-lly intermediatethe complementary colors. Q i

In testimony-whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this18th. day of JOSEPH SHAW.

